Sunday, March 23, 2014

Is it Springtime yet?

Is there a trend in our newly appointed Bishops. The last two are both members of religious orders and Bishop O'Toole was a seminary Rector, as more and more secular priests live alone I can't help wondering if new Bishops are expected to be 'community people', rather like the Pope to enjoy the chatter of others around them. I suppose most priests like that, but the particular feature of these three latest appointments seem to indicate they actually like priests in particular, absolutely necessary but not always easy for a Bishop to do. The last two appointments had chosen to live their in a community with priests. Archbishop Mennini seems to have a preference for Religious, which as a secular priest I thing is probably a good thing.

The other thing that seems important is that Bishop McMahon and Fr Byrne both have good records of encouraging vocations, as does, in a different way, the former Rector of Allen Hall Bishop O'Toole of course.

Others have commented on both Bishop McMahon and Fr Byrne have been friendly towards the Traditional Mass, and personally it gives me joy, but it is deeper than that, it is about being at ease with the history and Tradition of the Church. The fourth Commandment tells us that if we honour our father and mother we will live long in the land. It is about rootedness. I don't know too much about Bishop O'Toole but friends in the Ordinariate speak incredibly highly of him embracing this initiative of Pope Benedict, and them.

Though Bishop O'Toole might well be described as following the traditional career path to the Episcopate: Cardinals Secretary, Seminary Rector, everyone seems to agree he is exceptionally capable, both Bishop McMahon and Fr Byrne are relative outsiders.

The other encouraging thing is that we seem to have put behind us the promotion of men with little education over an STL collected on passing through Venerable English College.

Up here in Glasgow Fr John Keenan has been made bishop of Paisley. The below video interview of Bishop Keenan (just prior to his installation on 17 March) reiterates many of the themes in your post, particularly the sense that community, and community with brother priests is of specific importance to his understanding of the role.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76Wwrdg3Fw&feature=youtu.be

Bishop Keenan is an exceptional man, a wonderful priest and pastor. He exudes joy and love for the Church, for the faithful and for people generally. Our new chaplain came to the priesthood via Fr John when chaplain.

Hello, Father. You ask rhetorically if three swallows make a spring. I don't know precisely what season today's swallows auger, but I've read Gideon defeated the Midianite armies with just 300 men. (Chosen in a rather odd fashion though. Judges 7: 5 - 7)

The Church solemnly teaches that she does not have the power to ordain women. The Modernist, not believing in sacerdotal powers, entirely rationally concludes that anyone, including women, can be appointed by the community to preside. Thus a few years ago you find Bishop Malcolm McMahon taking two Anglican priestesses with him on his diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes and encouraging the faithful to attend their invalid (hence blasphemous) “Masses.” He then had both these heretical laywomen dressed in full clerical glad rags on the altar for this final Mass. This way his Lordship can replace our Catholic religion with his own private religion, while cunningly not uttering a single self-incriminating syllable. Bishop Malcolm McMahon is soon to be inflicted on the long-suffering Catholic remnant of Liverpool. Meanwhile, like stray dogs praising the dog catcher for having thrown them a couple of biscuits, the brain dead are salivating over the fact that his Lordship has occasionally celebrated the Traditional Mass.

McMahon should have been removed from office for that stunt. It angers me when people who should know better do it without heavy penalty. Lucky I wasn't pope, I'd have had him counting holes in the acoustical tile somewhere in Tierra del Fuego.

Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna

Pray for Francis our Pope, and for the Church of God

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